Smoked Mackerel Carbonara

320 g pasta

1 onion

1 clove garlic

130 g smoked boneless mackerel fillets

olive oil

2 large free-range eggs

100 ml semi-skimmed milk

40 g Parmesan cheese

Cook the pasta in a pan of boiling salted water according to packet instructions.

Chop onion & garlic

Chop up  the mackerel

Put the onions and garlic into a large frying pan on a medium heat with a lug of oil and a pinch of salt and pepper, stirring occasionally.

After 5 minutes, mackerel and cook for a further 5 minutes,

Meanwhile, whisk the eggs and milk together, then finely grate in the Parmesan.

Reserving a cupful of cooking water,

drain the pasta and toss it into the mackerel pan.

take the pan off the heat for a few seconds and stir in a good splash of the reserved water to cool it

Quickly pour in the egg mixture and shake and stir together until thickened, silky and evenly coated,

serve with an extra grating of Parmesan, a good pinch of pepper (and a squeeze of lemon juice, if you like.)

Milk Poached Pork

This Italian inspired pork shoulder is meltingly tender and a deliciously different alternative to a Sunday roasting joint. Serve with rice and green beans.

Ingredients

• 100g/3½oz unsalted butter
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 small pork shoulder, bone and skin removed, with 1cm/½in fat left on
• 3 garlic cloves, sliced
• 1 lemon, zest and juice
• 10 sage leaves
• 1.4litres/2½ pints full-fat milk
• salt and freshly ground black pepper

Preparation method

1. Heat the butter and oil in a large heavy-based frying pan over a medium heat. Seal the pork on all sides, remove and set aside. Remove any excess oil from the pan.
2. Add the garlic, lemon, sage and milk and bring to the boil.
3. Season the pork with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Return the pork back to the pan with the fat-side facing downwards. Partially cover the pan with a lid or aluminium foil. Simmer over a low heat for three hours.
4. Turn the pork over and cook for a further hour, adding a little water if necessary.
5. To serve, remove the pork from the pan, cut into large chunks and drizzle with cooking liquid

Chicken Saltimbocca

Chicken Saltimbocca

INGREDIENTS

1 ½ pounds boneless skinless chicken breast cut into 4-ounce pieces

 Salt and pepper

1 tablespoon chopped sage, plus 24 large sage leaves

2 garlic cloves smashed to a paste

1 pinch red pepper flakes, optional

 Olive oil

6 thin slices proscuitto

6 slices fontina cheese (about 4 ounces)

PREPARATION

Using a meat mallet, pound the chicken to flatten a bit. Salt and pepper each piece on both sides and place on a platter. 

Sprinkle with chopped sage, garlic, red pepper flakes (if using) and olive oil. 

Massage in the seasoning to distribute, cover and marinate at room temperature for one hour, or refrigerate for up to several hours.

Heat a wide skillet over medium heat and add 3 tablespoons olive oil. 

When the oil looks wavy, add the sage leaves and let them crisp for about 30 seconds. 

Remove and drain.

Brown the chicken breasts in the oil for about 2 minutes per side, then transfer to a baking dish large enough to fit them in one layer.

Top each piece with 2 sage leaves, a slice of prosciutto and a slice of fontina. 

Grill for 2 to 3 minutes, until the cheese is bubbling. Garnish with remaining sage leaves.

Carbonara

Ingredients

•       200g/ dried spaghetti

    *      175g/6¼oz piece smoked pancetta, rind removed (or 2 rashers)

    *      2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

    *      3 garlic cloves, finely chopped

    *      3 large free-range eggs, beaten

    *      25g/pecorino sardo maturo (mature Sardinian pecorino), finely grated

(or some cheese)

    *      salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Preparation method

   1.      Bring 4.5 litres/8 pints water to the boil in a large saucepan with eight teaspoons salt. Add the spaghetti and cook for nine minutes, or until al dente.

   2.      Meanwhile, cut the pancetta into lardons (short little strips), about 6mm/1¼in wide.

   3.      Heat a large, deep frying pan over a medium-high heat, add the oil and the pancetta and fry until lightly golden. Add the garlic and parsley and cook for a few seconds, then remove from the heat and set aside.

   4.      Drain the spaghetti well, tip into the frying pan with the pancetta, garlic and parsley, add the beaten eggs and half the grated pecorino cheese and toss together well.

   5.      Season to taste with a little salt and black pepper. The heat from the spaghetti will be sufficient to partly cook the egg, but still leave it moist and creamy. Take to the table and serve in warmed pasta bowls, sprinkled with the rest of the cheese.

Mince Pasta Bake

Ingredients

• 40g Butter
• 40g flour
• 500ml milk
• Pasta
• 1 egg
• Parmesan cheese
• Breadcrumbs
• “Bolognese” Sauce

Instructions

Make a standard red sauce. Minced onion and garlic, ground beef, crushed tomatoes, salt, basil. Let that simmer while you do the rest of the recipe.

Make a bechamel sauce. Melt a stick of butter and add 1/2 cup flour. Stir constantly with a wooden spoon for about a minute. It should be yellow at this point. Whisk in 5 cups of milk a bit at a time and continue whisking until thick, about 20 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside to cool.

Boil water for some pasta. I prefer penne for this but it's up to you. Cook according to package directions.

Mix cooked pasta and meat sauce together and spread it in a large baking dish. Beat an egg into the bechamel sauce and pour it on top of the pasta mixture. 

Mix together parmesan cheese and bread crumbs and sprinkle on top of everything. 

Bake at 180c for 20 minutes or until bubbly and golden brown. 

Give it time to cool and rest before serving, or else the bechamel will ooze everywhere when you first cut into it. Leftovers can be put in the fridge without issue.

Italian Pulled Pork (Slow Cooker)

Italian Pulled Pork (Slow Cooker)

Ingredients

• 2-3 lbs pound pork shoulder
• 3-4 tablespoons olive oil
• 2-3 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon of fresh ground black pepper
• 1 cup low sodium chicken broth
• 1 can (12 oz) of good beer
• 1 tablespoon cherry peppers
• 5 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• 1 teaspoon of dried thyme
• 1 large yellow onion, sliced
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 ½ cups diced tomatoes

Directions

Take the pork and rub with half the olive oil then season with salt and pepper.

In a bowl combine chicken broth, beer, cherry peppers, garlic, oregano, basil, thyme, tomato paste, and diced tomatoes and stir together; add to slow cooker and set on HIGH.

Heat a skillet with the remaining olive oil.  Add the pork to the skillet and brown all sides of the pork.

Add the pork to the slow cooker; then add onions to the top.

Cover the cooker, set it on HIGH, and cook for 4 hours. Set the cooker on LOW and cook until the meat is very tender, at least another 1 hours (5 hours total).

Transfer the pork to a bowl, cover lightly, and let rest 15 minutes.

Pull the meat apart with 2 forks or your fingers.

Scoop the cooked onions out of the crock pot and ladle one to two spoons of the remaining juice from the crock pot into the pork.

Gently toss the meat and onions together and set aside.

Salt and Pepper to taste.

Serve on a sandwich or toss with your favorite pasta and sauce.